Iran–Serbia relations

Iran–Serbia relations are diplomatic relations between Iran and Serbia. Iran has an embassy in Belgrade[1] and Serbia has an embassy in Tehran.[2] In 2017, the government of Serbia announced that in order to improve bilateral relations as well as to attract tourists and investors to Serbia, it has passed a legislation to abolish visa requirements for citizens of Iran and India intending to travel to the country. [3]

Serbia, despite having been severely sanctioned and isolated by the west for eight years during the existence of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, reportedly put sanctions on Iran as a part of EU accession procedure, according to local media in November 2012.[12] The announcement of sanctions met very harsh criticism among Serbian media and political writers and reflected a divide between the actions of the Serbian government and the opinions of Serbian citizens.[13][14] Professor Predrag Simić of the UB Faculty of Political Science said in an interview with S Media that Iran seemed to be tolerant of the Serbian government's accession into the EU, and inferred that it was possible that relations with Iran would not be as damaged as they are with other western nation's despite Serbia's sanctions.[15] In 2013, Serbia's ambassador in Tehran Aleksandar Tasić met with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; the meeting was cited by Mohammad Reza Rahimi in a note of congratulations to Serbia's state holiday on February 15, in which it was stated that there are "no impediments" to further relations between Tehran and Belgrade.[16]

On August 23rd 2017, the government of Serbia announced on its website that citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as those of India can travel to Serbia without applying to obtain visas.[17]